Scott Johnston, a science teacher at Fountain Inn High School, was a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune,” which aired Sept. 16.
Johnston finished in second place, taking home $14,800. He competed during the game show’s annual Teachers Week, which celebrates teachers from across the country. Johnston said he was motivated to compete on the show for his students.
“While I knew it was a big thing for me, more importantly, I knew it would be a big thing for my students to see me accomplishing a dream of mine,” Johnston said.
Miguel Martinez, a 10th-grade social studies teacher and volleyball coach from Chicago, Illinois, came in first place. Pia Wilson, an elementary special education teacher from Dallas, Texas, finished behind Johnston in third place.
As a lifelong fan of the show, Johnston originally applied for “Wheel of Fortune” two and a half years ago. He received an email on April 1, 2025, that he was chosen to be a contestant on the game show.
“Nobody believed me,” Johnston said. “I called my wife to tell her, and she was all excited. We hung up, and she called me back and goes, ‘Is this April Fools?'”
Johnston traveled to Culver City, California, with his family and taped an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” with co-hosts Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White on April 24. He said it was an amazing experience.
“It was such a surreal experience, like ‘Am I really standing here talking to Ryan Seacrest?’” Johnston said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”
Wheel of Fortune airs on weekdays at 7 p.m. on ABC. It is also available for streaming on Hulu and Peacock.
